Miguel Ángel Russo

Club career

Russo was a one club man; he played his entire career for Estudiantes de La Plata, from 1975 to his retirement in 1988. A defensive midfielder, Russo was a staple of the team that won two back-to-back championships in the 1982 Metropolitano and 1983 Nacional.

International career

Although Russo was called on by Argentina national team coach Carlos Bilardo to play in the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, a string of minor injuries prevented him from traveling to the main event in Mexico, which Argentina ultimately won.

Russo's career as a coach included stints at Estudiantes de La Plata and Lanús (both of whom he helped promote), and other sides in Argentina, Mexico, Chile, and Spain. In June 2005, he won the 2005 Clausura tournament with Vélez Sarsfield, his first title as a coach in the Argentine top division. On 15 December 2006, he was signed by Boca Juniors to replace Ricardo La Volpe. With Russo at the helm, Boca Juniors took second place in the 2007 Clausura tournament and won the 2007 Copa Libertadores. After Boca, Russo managed San Lorenzo between 2008 and 2009. After losing to San Luis Potosí and being eliminated from the Copa Libertadores, the coach has announced his decision to resign on 9 April 2009. On 15 April 2009, Russo joined Rosario Central, replacing Reinaldo Merlo and just two months later on 14 July 2009 the coach quit the team. The former midfielder then managed Racing Club between 2010 and 2011. On 21 June 2011, less than a week after resigning as coach of Racing Club, Russo signed a contract to again coach his former club, Estudiantes de La Plata, being his second stint as an Estudiantes coach, having done so in 1994. On 6 November 2011, after Estudiantes was defeated 3–1 by Godoy Cruz and in turn falling to last place with only 10 points in 14 games, Russo resigned as manager, less than five months after having assumed charge. He then had a successful stint at Rosario Central, winning the 2012–13 Primera B Nacional and reaching the final of the 2013–14 Copa…

Russo's son, Ignacio, is a professional footballer. Russo died at home on 8 October 2025, at the age of 69, after battling with prostate cancer since 2017.

Player

Estudiantes (LP)

Primera División: 1982 Metropolitano, 1983 Nacional

Manager

Lanús

Primera B Nacional: 1991–92 Estudiantes (LP)

Primera B Nacional: 1994–95 Vélez Sarsfield

Argentine Primera División: 2005 Clausura Boca Juniors

Primera División: 2019–20 Copa de la Liga Profesional: 2020 Copa Libertadores: 2007 Rosario Central

Primera B Nacional: 2012–13 Copa de la Liga Profesional: 2023 Millonarios

Categoría Primera A: 2017 Finalización Superliga Colombiana: Superliga 2018 Individual

Saudi Professional League Manager of the Month: January 2022 Notes